Automatic fuse cut-out.



C. S. ANDERSON.

AUTOMATIC FUSE CUT-OUT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29.1915.

1,1 92,974. Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

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UNITED STATES PATENT curios.

CLIFFORD S. ANDERSON, OF BIPON, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC FUSE CUT-OUT.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, CLIFFORD S. ANDER- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ripon, in the county of San Joaquin, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Fuse Cut-Outs; and I do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in electrical appliances and particularly to the fuse cut-ofl's used more particularly in connection with three-phase circuits,-the object of the invention being to produce a mechanically operated means whereby, when a fuse is blown on any one of the circuits, the switch connecting the circuits will be automatically thrown out of connection with the circuit so as to shut off the circuit. In threephase circuits now commonly used, one of the fuses may be blown but this does not entirely break the circuit, since it will continue to operate on a one-phase circuit tendingto overheat the motor or diminish the lights, as the case may be, with a consequent overheating, overloading and unbalancing of the entire circuit, with the consequential difliculties wellknown by those skilled in the art.

By means of my improved structure however, immediately upon any one of the fuses being blown, the switch is thrown open thus giving immediate notice of the condition of the circuit.

A further object of theinvention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective 40 for the purposes for which it is designed.

These objects, I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of theparts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

On the drawings, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a swltch plate showing-my improved mechanism installed thereon. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of my improved fuse cartridge. Fig. 4'is a sectional view taken on a line 'XX of Fig. 1.

. Referring now more particularly to the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 29, 1915.

Patented Aug. 1, 1916.

Serial No. 37,028. K

characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the switch plate having the usual three-bladed switch 2 used in connection with a three-phase circuit, such switch being engageable with contact clips 3 in the usual manner. In my improved structure, one or more of the plates of the switch 2 is provided with a spring 4 adapted to normally act to throw the switch 2 out of engagement with the clips 3. On the forward end of the switch 2 is a projecting catch 5 normally engaged by a detent 6 secured ona spring pressed shaft 7 mounted in brackets 8 on the plate 1. The action of the spring 7 a of the shaft 7 is to hold the detent 6 in engagement with the catch 5 to hold the switch 2 normally in engagement with the clips 3. On the shaft 7 are fiber dogs 9, one

for each circuit. In mounting the fuse carjecting annular lugs 12and 13, respectively,

around which I fit the shell 14 of the cartridge and clamp the same in position by means of suitable clamps 15. Disposed through the lug 13 is a fixed pin 16, while movable through the lug 12 is a pin 17 having on its outer end a cross-head 18 with an expansible spring 19 interposed between the cross-head 18 and the bracket 10. The fuse wire 20 is connected in any suitable manner to the pins 16 and 17 and in normal position holds the spring 19 contracted. Each pin 17 is disposed adjacent one of the dogs 9. Consequently, when any one of the fuse wires 20 fuses and breaks, from any cause whatsoever, the corresponding pin 17 will be moved by theac'tion ofthe spring 19 into engagement with the adjacent dog 9. This. action will turn the shaft 7 and release the detent 6 from the catch 5. Thereupon, the action ofthe springs 4' will throw the switch 2 out of the clips 3, thus breaking the circuit and giving notice of the blowing of the fuse with the advantages noted in the preamble to this specification.

The fuse cartridge shells 11 may have movable covers 21 held on by spring clips 22 or any other suitable covering found desirable.

From the foregoing description, it W111 readily be seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfils the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice, such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described comprising the combination with a switch biased to open position, a catch on the switch, a spring pressed shaft, a detent on said shaft engageable with said catch, a plurality of dogs on said shaft rigid with respect to said detent, a fuse adjacent to each dog, and means arranged on each fuse whereby when the fuse is blown-such means will engage the adjacent dog to move said shaft and release the detent from said catch, as described,

2. A device of the character described comprising a fuse consisting of a fixed pin and a spring pressed pin, a fuse wire connected between said pins to normally hold the spring pressed pin in tensional position, a switch biased to open position, a member normally engaging the switch, a dog rigid on said engaging member and turnably mounted adjacent'the spring pressed pin whereby when the fuse is blown such pin will engage said dog to release said engaging member from the switch, as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. CLIFFORD S. ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

FLOYD M. BLANCHARD, STEPHEN N. BLEWETT. 

